Free Republic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – During a time where a large number of Florida residents are without power in the wake of Hurricane Irma, two Florida men were caught attempting to steal a $2,500 utility pole. 42-year-old Blake Lee Waller and 46-year-old Victor Walter Apeler were arrested on grand theft charges Wednesday after someone reported seeing them load the pole onto the top of their car, according to the Jacksonville sheriff’s office.

A man who climbed a power tower near downtown Santa Rosa on Tuesday shocked himself and fell about 80 feet, suffering major burns and injuries and sparking a large, brief power outage in the city. The PG&E transmission tower is along the Prince Memorial Greenway and Santa Rosa Creek, near Sixth Street. About 1:45 p.m. the climber had gone up about 80 feet of the 100‑foot‑tower and was on a cross arm when he was shocked. As he fell he hit parts of the structure before landing in dry grass, where his burning clothing started a small fire, said Santa...